DHS to Deploy Einstein in Michigan

First State to Implement Intrusion-Detection System

s the federal government rolls out to its agencies the second iteration of the Einstein intrusion-detection system and readies a more advanced intrusion-prevention Einstein 2, it is partnering with Michigan in deploying the original version of Einstein. Michigan becomes the first state to employ Einstein.

"Effective cybersecurity is a shared responsibility between the federal government and our state, local and tribal partners to protect our cyber networks from terrorism and other intrusions," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in announcing the partnership.

According the DHS, its U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team will identify possible abnormal activities on Michigan's networks and address threats to critical cyber infrastructure, strengthening defenses against cyber attacks and the overall resiliency of Michigan's networks and cyber resources.

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm said the Einstein 1 deployment will benefit Michigan's cybersecurity interests by further enhancing its ability to identify and resolve a greater range of threats to its cyber infrastructure in coordination with a broad range of federal government entities. "It will enable greater federal and state coordination to promote mutual cybersecurity interests and, if successful, will inform the efforts of state governments to enhance their own cybersecurity efforts," she said.

Einstein 1 automates the collection and analysis of computer network security information from participating agency and government networks to help analysts identify and combat malicious cyber activity that may threaten government network systems, data protection and communications infrastructure.

The Einstein initiatives aren't without controversy, with some civil libertarians expressing concerns that the technology could evade the privacy by reading the e-mails of law-abiding citizens, a matter the government contends is baseless.